Chapter XXI
_THE GREAT COUP DE MAIN_
It was but a fragment of the army defeated at Kalpi that had gatheredwithin the insecure walls of Gopalpur.
Of the leaders, the Rao Sahib and Ahmad Khan had preceded the Rani ofJhansi to that place. Tantia Topi and Rai Bahadur or Prasad Singh,were hourly expected. Upon their arrival a council was summoned todecide what was best to be done in the hopeless strait to which theNative cause was reduced. To the North, East, and South; in whicheverdirection their gaze turned, they beheld the victorious Foreign armiesclosing in upon them with relentless force.
It was one of those fearful days of heat preceding every rainy season.The Rao Sahib awaited his companions under an awning on the roof of histemporary residence, where any stray breath of wind, however sultry,would be welcome. The sun had not yet risen to dispel the haze thatenveloped the surrounding jungle.
The Rani of Jhansi arrived first, quickly followed by Ahmad Khan andother chiefs. Lastly came Tantia Topi with Prasad Singh.
The nobles saluted the Rao Sahib gravely as they appeared upon theroof. Prasad's glance rested for a moment upon the Rani's form, but hergaze was concentrated upon a map of the country. She was apparentlynot aware of his presence. He took his seat the furthest from herposition, after exchanging with Ahmad Khan a formal greeting.
Since his dismissal from Jhansi, Prasad had come to regard theMohammedan's actions leading up to that event with suspicion. He hadformed no definite charge to prefer against Ahmad, but if they shouldmeet again he had determined not to place so much confidence in theother's protestations of friendship. He reasoned that they had not gonefar to assist him in the past.
Toward the Rani, who appeared in his eyes more beautiful than before,neither time nor absence had diminished his affection. It was true thatwhile he had come to regard the act for which his banishment had beenpronounced as inexcusable; the severe, the unjust criticism upon hisprivate life by one, who, if Ahmad's words were to be given credence,was herself not blameless, for long rankled in his breast.
But had Ahmad Khan spoken the truth concerning her? In the face of theuniversal praise bestowed upon her virtue and bravery, a doubt hadrisen in his mind of the Mohammedan's good faith. The doubt grew strongwithin him during the night ride from Kalpi, and stronger still afterthe manner in which she fought her way to his rescue at the battle ofKunch. If Ahmad had slandered the Rani's character, had acted as atraitor, he vowed he would slay him without mercy. But in the meantimeshe had closed his mouth indefinitely. She had laid an interdict uponany expression of his sentiment. He could not speak of these thingsagain until such time as she would grant permission. All he could dowas to prove the depth of his love by such actions as her rescue fromJhansi. For the rest, he could only hope that fortune would give him anopportunity to rend the veil of misfortune that had shrouded his lifein Jhansi, and appear before her in his true character--a charactermuch tempered by the trials and hardships he had since experienced.
When all were assembled there ensued a period of silence. No oneamong them seemed to find courage in his heart to speak. Indeed, whatwas there that could be said? Their fortresses and arsenals had allbeen captured; their armies vanquished and dispersed; the Foreignerseverywhere triumphant. It seemed that only one topic remained fordiscussion--how to escape the vengeance that would surely fall upontheir heads.
The Rani raised her eyes and glanced round upon their despondentcountenances. Upon not one of them could she detect a spark of hoperemaining. They were as cowed animals awaiting the lash of a master,for offenses which they knew to be unpardonable, in defeat.
"Well, my Lords," she spoke calmly, "I presume that being all gathered,our business is to discuss the next place to give the enemy a battle."
"Give the enemy a battle," Tantia Topi echoed in faint-hearted accents."What force of men, what guns, what ammunition, do we now possess withwhich to give battle to the Foreigners. Where even can we fly, to gainany but a temporary refuge"?
"That," returned the Rani firmly, "may be the saving of our situation.We cannot fly, therefore we must fight."
"Fight," echoed Tantia Topi gloomily. "Have we not fought already, andwhat has been the result? Perhaps the noble Rani," he added, with astrain of sarcasm, "will instruct us how to wage a war without men orguns."
Tantia Topi had not escaped the feeling of jealousy among certain ofthe leaders, as a result of the praise lavished by the troops upon thepersonal valor of the Rani of Jhansi.
She retorted with rising temper.
"Ah"! she cried. "Have we not had some experience how fifteen hundredmen well-led can give battle to, and defeat over twenty thousand? Nowit is our turn to win a victory against overwhelming odds."
"Perhaps the valiant Rani will instruct us further," the Native generalsuggested, controlling his anger with difficulty, at the Rani'sreference to his Jhansi defeat.
The Rao Sahib interposed, fearful of an altercation between his twomost skillful commanders.
"Assuredly, fair Lady," he said, "any suggestion for a way to retrieveour disasters will be most welcome."
"Then, my Lords," she continued, as if suggesting a plan that presentedlittle difficulty of accomplishment, "it is simply, that either bystrategy, diplomacy, or assault, we do capture Gwalior."
"Gwalior! Gwalior"! passed from mouth to mouth, while looks ofincredulous amazement broke upon all faces.
"Gwalior, noble Rani," repeated the Rao Sahib. "Surely thou must meansome other place, not Maharaja Sindhia's impregnable stronghold,garrisoned by twenty thousand Foreign drilled troops."
The Rani rose to her feet and spoke with gathering animation.
"Aye, noble Rao Sahib, I do mean Gwalior, Maharaja Sindhia's capitaland no other. I beg your patience," she proceeded, "while I disclosemy plan further. With us here, we have, or may gather together on themarch, perhaps eight thousand troops--a force with which much may beaccomplished, as Tantia Topi knows."
She glanced at the Native hero of numerous defeats with a slightexpression of contempt about her lips, and continued:
"Good, then, with these I propose that we make forced marchesimmediately upon Gwalior, and arrive there before Sindhia has beenwarned of the coming of his guests. It is well known, my Lords, thatMaharaja Sindhia is, at heart, in sympathy with our cause. It isalso well known," she added with exquisite naivete, "that he is ayoung man not insensible to the charms of a fair woman. To Sindhia,then, I purpose to dispatch a messenger beseeching him to grant me aninterview. If he doth grant it, be assured there will be no battlebefore Gwalior. He will join us with all his forces. But if his craftyminister, Dinkar Rao, or his Foreign councilor, doth persuade him thatthe Rani of Jhansi's eyes will bewitch his reason to perdition, andhe doth refuse my emissary; then we will take his capital whether hebe disposed to yield or no. His people are our people; his troops ourtroops; discreet messengers may induce many to join us at the criticalmoment, if he elects to give us battle. Gwalior captured," she criedwith flashing eyes, "and all Northern India lies at our feet. TheForeigners cannot march upon us immediately, for the rains will makethe roads impassable. Thousands will rally to our side. Our swordswill again flash across the heavens. Who knows not only Jhansi, butDelhi may be recaptured. Is not this a prize worth staking our fraillives upon? But even if defeat is again the will of God, if die wemust; is it not better to perish as warriors should, in a feat of armsupon which the eyes of our enemies will gaze with marvel, than as wildbeasts hunted through the jungle?
"Ah, my Lords," she appealed to them with superb emotional fervor. "Letnot us cherish despair, but take to our hearts that invincible faithin ourselves, by which the seemingly impossible is often successfullyaccomplished. Now is the hour when the steel of our courage is foreverdetermined. Let us at least drag from the unwilling tongues of theseForeigners the admission, that the glorious traditions of our raceare not to be closed in the pages of history, without reference to asublime, a mighty funeral."
The Rani's hearers gazed up
on her in wonder. That the force of herargument; the fire of her words, swept toward them as a blast from afurnace of heroism, had kindled in their breasts a responsive flameof her own dauntless spirit, was evident: but they were appalled,dumbfounded at the audacity, the daring of her proposal.
To march upon Gwalior in the demoralized condition of their army,in their own sickening despair. Gwalior protected by the strongestfortress in all India, that was regarded, even by Sindhia's Foreignallies as impregnable. Gwalior the capital of the great Maharaja,containing the pick of the Native army and vast stores of munitions ofwar. No! It could not be done, they agreed mentally. The plan to theirminds did not offer the single chance out of a thousand in a forlornhope.
The Rao Sahib sighed deeply. He gravely shook his head from side toside.
"It is impossible, I fear, brave Rani," he replied. "It would be easierto recapture Delhi, than seize Gwalior from Sindhia's hands."
"Impossible! Impossible"! the others echoed sadly.
Even the fierce nature of Ahmad Khan for once failed to respond to anenterprise of such overpowering odds. But in his mind, the reappearanceof his rival, had inflamed his jealousy and hatred to subvert all otherfeelings. His eyes, at intervals, had glanced suspiciously from theRani to her lover. Though he had detected no signs of affectionateregard pass from one to the other, he knew that between himself andPrasad, her heart in its entirety, if not her favor, went forth to thenoble of her own faith.
Despair, not of an ultimate triumph over the enemy, nor as the resultof the blood-stained conscience which certain among the Foreignersasserted she possessed, but despair of her ability to move hercompanions to one of those splendid achievements of warfare, by whichcampaigns are turned suddenly in favor of the vanquished, seized uponher spirit. It stimulated all the heroism of her nature to an outburstof feeling. She could no longer withhold the whip of scorn to thrashtheir courage into action.
"Then stay, my Lords," she cried, "and rest yourselves in Gopalpur. Theweather is hot and uncomfortable, for such work as this of Gwalior. ButI--I with my Valaitis, even if not another one doth follow, will go toSindhia's fortress, and either bid defiance to the Foreigners from itswalls, or yield my life into the hands of God."
Ahmad's martial spirit was stung by the taunt. He would have risen tohis feet in support of the heroic woman, had not a quicker action onPrasad's part restrained him, in sullen humor, to his seat.
The Rani had turned as if about to leave the council, when Prasadcrossed over to her side. He drew his sword and laid it at her feet.
"If no other will follow," he cried, "I will go with thee to Gwalior,or to wherever thou dost lead."
The Rani rewarded him with a grateful look, in which he might havediscerned the shade of a more tender feeling. She bent down, and takinghis sword gave it back to him.
"Thou shalt go with me to Gwalior," she spoke gently.
The Rao Sahib had listened throughout the Rani's appeal with a growingappreciation of its truth. Some great, some telling stroke must bedelivered in the emergency. It needed but an incident like Prasad's actto win him over to her side.
"Aye," he exclaimed. "Prasad Singh doth rightly. We will all go withthee, valiant Rani. The command, too, of this business shall be givento thy hands. If Gwalior is captured, the glory of it shall foreverrest upon thy head."
The Rani was quick to encourage with praise the turn of opinion in herfavor.
"Now do I know, as I had ever believed," she cried joyfully, "that thouart all brave men. Within a week, I vow the Peshwa shall be proclaimedin Sindhia's palace.
"And so," she added, "that we are no longer divided in this matter, Iwould select the one to go forward as my emissary to Sindhia. Ahmad'svalor would entitle him to the dangerous mission, but that, withoutoffense to any present, it would be better to dispatch a Hindu noble asan envoy to a Hindu prince. Otherwise the Maharaja may regard our aimas too much in the interest of the court of Delhi. Thus I would urgethat Prasad Singh doth set forth immediately on this errand, while weclose in upon his steps to-night."
"I have said thy will shall be the order of our march, brave Rani,"returned the Rao Sahib. "Prasad Singh will go as thy messenger to theMaharaja forthwith."
The Rani turned toward her lover.
"Go then, good Prasad," she enjoined, "and in thy most skillful mannerseek to obtain for me an audience with Sindhia, at some place withoutthe walls of Gwalior secure from treachery. Go, and may God's blessingrest upon thy head.
"So, my Lords," she cried. "Let us to Gwalior with cautious speed, andgood fortune smiling on our efforts."
The nobles rose spontaneously and shouted with rekindled spirits:
"To Gwalior! To Gwalior "!
The cry was caught up by the soldiers on guard in the compound:
"To Gwalior! To Gwalior! Death to the enemy. Victory for the Rani ofJhansi."
Lachmi Bai, Rani of Jhansi: The Jeanne D'Arc of India Page 22
